Penn State Coaches Caravan pulls into Steel City on May 8

Penn State Coaches Caravan pulls into Steel City on May 8

New football coach James Franklin heads the Penn State Coaches Caravan tour that makes a stop in Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at the Sheraton Station Square.

Building on his mission to “Dominate The State,” the Nittany Lions’ 16th head coach will talk about his core values for the program, vision for Penn State football and preparations for the 2014 season, as well as how all Penn State alumni and fans can help build on Penn State football’s tradition of excellence. Penn Staters will have the opportunity to ask questions about the Nittany Lions’ nationally recognized 31-sport athletic department. The stop will feature a meet and greet with Franklin and the other Nittany Lion head coaches during the evening receptions prior to the program. Registration is under way for alumni and the general public at www.alumni.psu.edu/coachescaravan.

Advance registration is required for the caravan, which is jointly sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association and the Nittany Lion Club. Walk-ins will be accepted on a space-available basis. An additional $10 registration fee is required for walk-ins.

Franklin, who concluded spring practice in April, will be joined by Bob Warming (men’s soccer) and Erica Walsh (women’s soccer), head coaches who have helped champion Penn State’s “One Team” philosophy, with the 31 varsity teams, athletics, 24 campuses, communities and constituencies all playing a role in the Nittany Lions’ academic and athletic success. Penn State has captured seven Big Ten Championships and three NCAA titles thus far in 2013-14, with a conference-best 15 Big Ten crowns in the past two years, while earning an NCAA Graduation Rate of 88 percent.

Members of the Alle-Kiski Society of the Penn State Alumni Association will attend the festivities. Based at Penn State New Kensington, the society engages in various projects throughout the year, interacting with former and current students by social and fundraising events and other networking activities. Last year, the society fulfilled a four-year $26,000 pledge, 12 months ahead of schedule, to increase its scholarship endowment from $51,000 to $77,000. At its February meeting, the society donated an additional $7,500 to the endowment, effectively upping the principal by 66 percent. Recently, the society held its 12th annual Alumni Bowl-a-thon that raised a record $7,100 for campus projects and scholarships.

The society's next major fundraiser is the alumni golf scramble that is set for Friday, Aug. 8, at the Links at Spring Church. For information on the golf outing, call 724-334-6049 or email uxw1@psu.edu.

Penn State alumni, students, parents and friends from the Penn State New Kensington service area -- Westmoreland, Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong and Indiana counties -- are encouraged to re-connect with the University and campus by attending the Alle-Kiski Society monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. The next meeting is May 19 at the Elks Club in Tarentum.